China: Emblems Collection, set to comprise a global portfolio of boutique hotels and luxury resorts, will launch with a flagship property, the Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, in China’s Guizhou province.
Hotels and resorts joining the collection will fall into three categories:
• Emblems Collection Heritage – buildings that contribute to the character of a city, place or nation. These are properties that celebrate history and cultural traditions.
• Emblems Collection Retreat – resort properties located on beaches, in countrysides or in the mountains. Spa and wellness experiences offer holistic care through rituals and wellbeing.
• Emblems Collection Signature – design-led hotels. These properties will reflect the style of the designers or original residents who contributed to the legacy of the hotel.
The new brand will offer boutique hotel owners the opportunity to upgrade their asset to a luxury status. Independent identities will be retained and franchise agreements will also be available – the only Accor luxury brand to offer this option.
Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, with 64 suites and two ballrooms, is the first hotel to join Emblems Collection. It is located on the north bank of the Nanming River and was originally built as a private residence.
Gary Rosen, CEO of Greater China at Accor, said: “As one of the most important hospitality markets in the world, China is the perfect location for Accor to launch our newest luxury brand, and we are honoured to work with our trusted partner, HLC Group on this landmark project. HLC is a respected business leader in Guizhou province and recognised as one of China’s top private enterprises; we are delighted to partner with them to bring our shared vision of the new Emblems Collection hotel in Guiyang to life.
“This grand and enigmatic property has long captured the attention of residents and visitors to Guiyang. Emblems Collection will bring a fresh, modern expression of luxury living to this iconic landmark, setting the high standards of hospitality and style that we expect for this brand as it expands to other markets worldwide.”
Accor plans to grow the collection to 60 properties by 2030. Anticipated locations for Emblems Collection Heritage and Signature include Paris, Prague, London, Madrid, Marrakech, Cairo, Moscow, Seoul, Sydney, Havana and more. Shortlisted destinations for the Emblems Collection Retreat includes Tuscany, Mykonos, Bodrum, Bali, Mexico’s Riviera Maya, and more.
“Emblems Collection adds a fresh and exciting new dimension to Accor’s luxury offerings,” said Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor. “A key focus of our growth and development strategy is to add aggressively across our strongest lines and leading business accelerators, which includes luxury as well as collection brands, while ensuring all 40+ brands in our global network continue to grow, evolve and flourish. The hotels we will feature in Emblems Collection are those sought out by travellers who appreciate high-end, boutique-style experiences, as well as by hoteliers who cherish the independent brands they’ve built while desiring the benefits that come with a global partner.”
Agnes Roquefort, chief development officer at Accor, said: “For owners and developers who have created unique luxury hotels, or are looking to develop a new upmarket offering, we offer a collection brand that can boost their property’s status and profile with limited investment in marketing and branding, along with an easy transition process. With Emblems Collection, a hotelier can optimise their costs and operations right away by leveraging Accor’s powerful global distribution and supply networks, while expanding their audience reach from the moment they join. We look forward to working collaboratively with more hoteliers and development partners to bring more hotels around the world to this outstanding collection.”
